Dancing with Fire (John Pearce/Justice Crew Fanfic)

Chapter 16

Having Jason back in my life made everything seemed normal. It’s not that he left, but at least now I feel like two of my problems were solved, plans after high school, and getting my best friend back. The missing piece in my life was discovered, and I seem to have plans now, ignoring the consequences and just starting to live the present, what’s in front of me, and hopefully I would continue living like this, being happy and free. Though I know when you’re too happy, something goes wrong. I know this is only temporary, and I want to make the most out of it.

Hanging out with my guy best friend made me realize how much I affected his life. He looked up to me, especially when we were younger. He said I had that look in my eyes that I inspired him to follow his dreams. He wanted to be a professional football player. He loves that game so much because of his father. It was the only reason that made them closer and he felt loved and appreciated, while his mother didn’t like the idea. To her, playing sports was just a hobby, it shouldn’t be taken seriously, which is why Jason and I both agreed to take another course together, besides our own love for our talent. And when she learned that my plans had failed miserably, she wished her son would do the same, to let go of football like I did with dancing.

But I guess she changed her mind when I told her about going back to dancing, she wasn’t mad at all. She was happy for me. It was strange having to hear her proud of me, it wasn’t I expected. I imagined she was going to ask me to leave her son alone, knowing how much I would affect Jason with my decision, now she won’t be able to stop him and live his own life, the way he wants it. But hearing I would have a backup plan, she took things differently, and we both know Jason is now in good hands.

Walking hand in hand with Jason was the least I could do. We weren’t in a romantic relationship, we were friends. Best friends.

Though I knew he felt something more than that, I couldn’t give it to him. I tried to think of him differently, in the way he wanted me over the past few days we have been together, I just don’t feel the sparks. I don’t feel anything other than friendship. Placing a finger on my lips, I remembered the first time he crashed his lips onto mine, the day I had him back, but I didn’t feel anything romantically, it was all shock. Shocked because I had never envisioned it will ever happen.

“Well, well, well. What do we have here?” Hearing Caitlin’s questioning voice made me jump and quickly pulled away from Jason’s grip, locking my eyes with him, flashes of pain have arrived.

Ignoring Caitlin, I shifted over to Amy’s side and sat beside her. It was lunch time and we were hanging out at our usual spot, the center table.

The center table, as most of you know, comprised of the jocks and the cheerleaders, and people who were popular so it was always so loud. My friends and I have always shared the table with everyone else from those two groups, and didn’t mind the company, though sometimes when they are issues at hand, we wanted the table for ourselves.

Standing up, I made my way to the lunch line, only later on, have been followed by my best friend Amy.

“So you and Jason?”

“No. We’re not.” Thanking Jason didn’t follow me and heard what I said, I felt relieved that I won’t see him get hurt, and having Amy around knew what I sounded like, someone who didn’t want to be with Jason, romantically.

“Good.” She nodded and felt excited.

“What do you mean by good?” I felt a question mark appearing on my head out of nowhere.

“Simply because I don’t think you two are compatible, in those terms.”

“And since when were you a cupid? You haven’t been dating, Amy.” Amy may be the head cheerleader, but she wasn’t the normal type you watch in the movies, who was a bitch to everyone, and dates the popular guy in school, which in this school would be Jason. Unless she was in love with him, it was the only reason I could think of as to why she was excited that we weren’t a couple.

“Wait… do you like him?”

“No way! Omg, I don’t like him that way.” She sounded like me, sort of defensive way, but we weren’t.

“Anyway, it doesn’t mean I don’t know these things… but I feel you’re more into… someone else. I mean I can see stuff.” She uttered, but obviously didn’t make any sense.

“Someone else?” What are you talking about? I haven’t been with anyone else. It seems to me that Amy knows about me more than myself.

“Mr. Pearce, you know, the English teacher.” What. No. Of course not. What the hell are you talking about?

I gave her a quizzical look. I couldn’t quite decipher where she had gotten the idea of me liking John. There’s no way. I mean he is my teacher, and lately, he has been avoiding me. I don’t know. I just feel like he hasn’t been the same, though Lenny said he was just having his time of the month, but it has been weeks, and I’m not even sure what I had done wrong for him to stop being friendly around me, like he used to. I kind of miss having him. I miss talking to him besides the talk we have in English class, wherein I ask about things I don’t understand, and he will explain it to me. But other than that, he wasn’t interested.

Indifferent, and I have no idea why. I would rather have him tell me what I had done wrong, than being left on pedestal, worrying all this time thinking what I have done.

Feeling uncomfortable with his presence, I have tried to ignore him at the workshop. There were times when I didn’t want to attend, but Lenny said he will protect me if anything happens. 

“So… Am I right? Do you have feelings for him?” She woke me up from my daydream, or nightmare, whatever you may want to call it. I’d say craziness in me.

Completely ignored her thoughts, I went out of the cafeteria.

“He’s a teacher.”

“If he wasn’t a teacher, would you like him? Would you have feelings for him?” And she won’t stop. We were in school, and having this conversation about a teacher, could get us in trouble, even if there was no relationship, or whatsoever, this shouldn’t be talked about. Illegal.

“Well, he is a teacher so…”

“Stop saying he is a teacher because we all know he is, but Kayla, do you like him?”

“I don’t know.”

“But you two have been conversing in class. The way you look at each other, that’s love.”

“You are hallucinating.” John doesn’t love me.

“I am not! I say what I see and you like him, and it’s so clear, he likes you too.” Whatever.

“Well, you’re wrong because we haven’t talked other than English lessons for the past weeks. He has been avoiding me.”

“Maybe because he realized he is in love with you, which is why he has been ignoring you. He’s controlling himself.”

“Because this is wrong.”

“You need to make him jealous.” What. Okay, where is Amy, my best friend? Evidently, the Amy in front of me isn’t the one. Omg, a cloned Amy.

“You’re crazy. What have you done to my best friend?” I asked, shaking her hard.

“This is so romantic. I would kill to be you right now!”

“Can you please explain to me everything? I think I have lost my mind.” This is not the Amy I know.

“To summarize, I think you and Mr. Pearce, the English teacher are a perfect match. You’re a senior which means in months time, you’ll graduate and he won’t have to be your teacher anymore. And if you want to know if he loves you too, I think you have to make him jealous. And I, Amy Brown, will support you in this challenging adventure in conquering your other half.” She bowed down and curtsied after her speech, more like an offer I couldn’t back down.

“No. If he does feel anything for me, I want him to do it on his own. Thank you for the offer.”